Dispensing cartons



Nov. 5, 1957 P. J. GRAYBILL 2,312,127

DISPENSING CARTONS Filed June 13, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fl 6.5. INVENTOR.

Nov. 5, 1957 P. J.'GRAYBILL DISPENSING CARTONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 15, 1955 r A 2,812,127 1C6 I Patented Nov. 5, 1957 DISPENSING CARTONS Paul J. Graybill, New Haven, Conn. Application June 13, 1955, Serial No. 515,107

6 Claims. (Cl. 229-17) The present invention relates to dispensing containers and more particularly to dispensing containers with opening and reclosing means.

The broad objective of the invention is to provide a dispensing container with means for opening and reclosing and locking said container, said means being integrally and automatically formed from said container stock in its normal manufacturing procedure.

The more specific objectives of my invention are as follows:

(1) To provide a dispensing container having a convenient and easy opening and closing means, consisting of a seal-flap hingedly connected to said container, said seal-flap provided with a locking tab for the convenient and secure locking of said seal-flap to, and thus resealing said container, all said means being integrally formed during the normal manufacturing procedure.

(2) To provide a dispensing container with said sealflap adaptable to uncover and subsequently recover and thus. seal and lock shut all suitable dispensing means, such means consisting of one or more apertures, such as an aperturerwith a reclosure plug, said plug secured to said seal-flap, or an aperture with an aperture flap, said flap being hingedly connected to the container wall; or a folding spout with finger access flap, all said dispensing means being integrally formed from the inner layer of said container wall in the normal manufacturing process.

(3) To provide such a dispensing container with inherent means of holding said seal-flap in its open position, until pressure is'applied to reclose same, said holding means then yielding to allow reclosure, said means consisting of lateral friction tabs to engage the lateral edges of said seal-flap or as an alternate, terminal extension tabs on said aperture plug, said tabs to engage the lateral margins of said aperture.

(4') To provide a dispensing container that in no way alters the basic structure or manufacturing methods or procedure of the container itself, that is, one that allows that the container be made by conventional machines using the same amount of stock in the same way; the only changes being in the form of the die and in printing.

(5) To provide a dispensing container that requires no tool or special manipulation in the opening process, but is readily opened by merely pulling and unlocking said locking tab.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, wherein, for the purpose of illustration, are shown a preferred and also modified embodiments of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a partial perspective view of the preferred embodiment of my invention, showing the closure end of the container in pouring position with the seal-flap open,

Fig. 2 is a similar partial perspective view with the seal-flap in closed position,

'Fig. 3 is a cut away of Fig. 2 showing a partial inside view of the closed container.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of Fig. 1 showing the threee layer structure and the lateral friction tab,

Fig. 5 is a view of the inside surface of the blank of Fig. 1, showing creases, cuts and areas where the outside surface is treated, with single cut-out plug aperture,

Fig. 6 is a partial view of inside surface of a blank showing multiple cut-out dispensing apertures.

Fig. 7 is a similar view of a blank showing multiple hinged flap apertures,

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified embodiment with inherent spout, both seal-flap and spout being in open position,

Fig. 9 is a similar view showing both spout and sealflap in closed position, also showing finger-access tab,

Fig. 10 is a cut-away inside view of Fig. 9,

Fig. 11 is a cross section of Fig. 8 showing three ply formation and open spout,

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view of the inside surface of the blank of Fig. 8 showing creases, cuts and treated areas where the outside surface is treated to prevent glue pick-up,

Fig. 13 is a front open perspective view of another modified embodiment, showing a single cut out dispensing aperture and aperture plug with the friction tabs thereon,

Fig. 14 is a frontal perspective view of the same, with seal-tab in closed position,

Fig. 15 is an inside view of a partial blank of Fig. 13 showing also creases, cuts and areas to be treated on outside surface.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows the container 20 formed from blank 40 in which process narrow glue lap 25 is adhesively joined to wide panel 21 at the opposite side, thus making a rectangular shaped tube with wide panels 21 and 23 opposing each other and likewise narrow panels 22 and 24, each pair being in parallel planes and being perpendicular to the other pair.

Thence glue laps 24A and 22A have been pushed inwardly toward each other to occupy the same plane but not overlap and have had glue lap 21A with leakproof tabs or VanBuren Ears 26 and 27 rotated inwardly, across said glue laps 22A and 24A and adhesively joined to their outer surface, with leakproof tabs 26 and 27 rotated downwardly and adhered, andsubsequently glue lap 23A likewise from the opposing side has been rotated over the top of said glue lap 21A and the upper end of the then partially formed container and there adhesively joined, which completes the formation of the dispensing end of the container. It will be noted that by thus superimposing the glue laps 23A and 21A over 24A, the various elements of the dispensing means are brought into proper position for later opening and use; thus three layers of stock are superimposed and joined together in the proper areas to facilitate opening and closing. After filling said container in the conventional way from the bottom end, the container is ready to be sealed by a similar process involving the glue laps on the opposite end.

The dispensing portion of container '20, when in a closed position as shown in Fig. 2, presents the seal-flap 28 and the lateral friction tabs 29 and also the lock-tab 30 which is hingedly attached to the second layer 28A of seal-flap 28, all in their closed, sealed position. Lock-tab 30 is traversed lengthwise by crease 31 which, together with partially surface treated areas 32, Fig. 5, enables said lock-tab 30 to be easily separated from container wall 24 and rotated outwardly with its extreme end portion 33 flexing to unlock around extension tabs 34 of large glue lap 23A when dispensing container is being opened. As locking tab 30 is then pulled upwardly seal-flap 28 hinges at crease 35 and rotatably separates from its sealed position, causing friction tabs 29 to open by rotating about creases 36 causing friction to be exerted onthe lateral edges 47 of seal-flap '28 until said seal flap has assumed its open position, when friction tabs 28 to pass until *said seal-flap; is againinrits closedposition. Friction tabs 29 tend to reclose again over :sealflap-28 by virture of their inherent tension, thus afiording a PYOPCI SCfll' along creases 36, "alsmwhenclosure is attained lock-tab 30 'rotatesabout the ed ge" of the container andextremeend portions of said lock-tab 33 fiex againabout extension tabs 34 andhook thereunder, thus locking said seal-flap 28 in its closed position as shown in Fig. 2 and Fig; -3. Saidaperture cut-out plug 37 having been adhered to=innerseal-fiap28A fits snugly in aperture 38 in said closed position thus aifording a virtual complete resealof said dispensing container 20. Hence repeated openings and closings are possible;

Fig. 5 shows shaded areas as 32 'forinstance where the outer surface of blank is treated to prevent" lue pickup, thus assuring proper functioning in'the opening andreclosing process. i

Fig. 6 shows an alternate-"type of opening consisting of multiple aperture-39' and Fig. 7 showsmultiple apertures 40 with aperture tabs 41 hingedly connected to glue flap 24A which can be opened as desired by pressing each of said tabs inwardly.

A modified embodiment is illustrated in Figs. 8 to 12 in which glue flap 24A is cut and creased and surface treated to form a pull-out spout 42, and a finger access tab 43. Fig.9 shows seal flap 28 and spout 42 in their sealed position as formed by conventional container'forming machinery, the opening procedure is identical with carton 20 asin Fig. 1 until spout 42 is to be opened.

Then pressure is applied to perforated score-cut 44 which separates, thus freeing finger-access tab 43 which tab is hinged at crease 52, for finger access, said spout bottom 48 is then also free and said spout 42 can be drawn outwardly with spout-walls 45 folding to 90 angle to said spout bottom 48, said side-walls 45 thus sliding out of said aperture as said spout bottom 48 rotates at crease 50 until concave arcs 49, in side walls 45 engage the nearest edge of finger-access flap 43, said spout is then in its open position, Fig. 8 and Fig. 11.

Another modified embodiment is shown in Figures 13, 14 and 15 which is similar to container 20 in Fig. l with the difference being in the lock-open means. In Fig. 13 such a container shows friction, tabs 46 on cut-out plug 37 resting on the margins of aperture 38'inglue flap 24A at point 51, thus holding seal-flap 28 in an open position. Again slight pressure will flex friction tabs 46 sufficiently to allow the closing of seal-flap 28.. Fig. 14 shows container of Fig. 13 in closed and locked position with lock-tab 30 secured behind extension tabs 34'of glue lap 23A. Fig; 15 illustrates the. cuts, creases and treated areas necessary to form such a carton from the one-piece blank.

These features on an opening and reclosingcontainer, outlined herewith namely a handy seal-flap. with its lockshut feature as well as its lock-open feature, which together with the various types of dispensing means, either a clear cut aperture with plug or a group of suchapertures, or a group of hinged flap apertures. or. a folding spout, are new and applicable to the variousembodiments shown or implied and constitutes a substantial improvement in dispensing containers.

Said dispensing means can be located on the top of an upright container where they can be seen while in dis pensing position andare the most convenient to use, said dispensing means can be situated on any full-seal-end or any other container where there are normally at least three superimposed layers of container material, the innermost one to be used to form the dispensing aperture including the spout, the intermediate layer formingone layer of the seal-flap and extending hingedly to forruthe 7 locking tab, the outermost layer to form the second and broader layer of the hingedly connected seal-flap and the protruding tabs around which said locking means locks, as well also as the lateral friction tabs which contact and resist the closure of said seal-flap on its opposing sides.

There are several obvious advantages in the proposed structure over present dispensing containers in both manufacture and use, as said container can be cut and formed without any alteration in present machines or their operation. All features of said container can be created by proper die formation and surface color treatment in the printing operation; hence there is no additional labor or cost, only matters of layout. In use the seal-flap, which is crease-cut, that is nicked down and forms a complete and sanitary closure, covers over the dispenser means which can be of any of these several types, said flap being easily and readily lifted from its sealed position and rotated upwardly after its terminal locking tab has been detached from said container wall.

It is to be understood that the embodiments of my invention, herewith shown and described, are only examples of same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts, may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A container formed from foldable material having a wall comprising inner,.intermediate and outer panels in superimposed and at least partially adhered relation, said outer panel to extend somewhat beyond the edge of said container on one corner thereon to form protrusion-tabs, said inner panel being cut to form an aperture, said intermediate panel being cut and creased to form the inner panel of a seal-flap, said inner panel of said seal-flap being out free on its lateral edges from said intermediate wall panel but articulated by hinged connection thereto at its innermost end, said inner panel of said seal-flap terminating on its free end, and having articulated thereto, a lock-tab, said inner panel of said seal-flap being so dimensioned to be at least as extensive as said aperture in said inner panel, said outer panel of said container wall being likewise cut and creased to form the outer panel of said seal-fiap, said outer panel being cut releasably free on its lateral side edges and articulately, joined on its inner end to said outer panel of said container wall and being adhered to said inner panel of said seal-flap to form a unit therewith, said outer panel of said seal-flap being so dimensioned to be at least as extensive as said inner panel thereof, said lock-tab to be so dimensioned as to extend beyond the lateral edges of said seal-flap when said sealflap is in a closed position, positioned in the planes of said container wall panels closing said inner panel aperture having said lock-tab engaged beneath said protrusiontabs at approximately thereto against the adjoining container wall and holding said seal-flap in said closed position, said seal-flap in another position not closing said aperture when said lock-tab has been rotated about its hinged connection and disengaged from said protrusiontabs with said seal-flap positioned about on its articulated connection away from said container wall.

2. The container and seal-flap of claim 1 having a transverse crease in said lock-tab, said crease forming a hinged juncture therein thus ostensibly forming a lifttab, said lift-tab being adhesive free.

3. The container of claim 1 in which said aperture is wider at its interior edge, being formed by having an aperture plug cut releasably free. from said inner panel of said container wall, said aperture plug being attached to said seal-fiap as a third panel thereof, said aperture plug in one position to lay in the plane of said inner panel.

of said container wall filling said aperture and in another position to be swung outwardly with said seal-flap creat ing said aperture when said seal-flap is in an open position,

said aperture plugbeing so dimensioned that its wider part pulls through said aperture at a narrower point during said opening operation, by virtue of the inherent flexibility of said aperture plug which thus springs outwardly again and comes to rest on top of said aperture edge when said seal-flap is in its open position, thus preventing the ready closure of said seal-flap.

4. The container of claim 1 having lateral friction-tabs cut and creased from the outer panel of said seal-flap being cut free and being adhesive free from said sealflap and hingedly joined to the outer panel of said container wall adjacent to the lateral edges of said seal-flap, said friction-tabs in one position to lie flatly against said seal-flap in the plane of said outer panel of said container wall and in another position to be extended outwardly about their hinged connection frictionally engaging the lateral edges of said seal-flap, when said seal-flap is in an open position.

5. A container having reclosable dispensing means in a multiple panel, adhesively joined wall thereof, said means consisting of a multiple panel seal-flap cut and creased therefrom, each panel of said seal-flap being articulated at its innermost end to the corresponding panel of said container wall and cut releastbly free on the side edges therefrom, one panel of said container wall having a VanBuren Ear articulated thereto, and adhesively joined to the outside surface of the adjacent side wall of said container, said VanBuren Ear being cut and creased to form a releasable and reclosable lock-tab, said locktab then being articulated to the adjacent end of one panel of said seal-flap, said lock-tab in one position releasably secured to said VanBuren Ear when said sealfiap is in its closed position, said lock-tab in another position torn free therefrom when said seal-flap is swung about on its hinged articulation opening a dispensing aperture in said multiple-panel wall, said container having said outer panel of said multiple-panel wall so dimensioned and formed as to provide protrusion-tabs, said tabs extending outwardly beyond the edge of said container wall adjacent each side of said seal-flap, extreme end portions of said lock-tab extending laterally outward beyond the adjacent end of the seal-flap and on each side thereof to a position beneath and engaging the protrusion-tabs,

said protrusion-tabs holding said lock-tab thereunder and securing said seal-flap in its reclosed position.

6. A container having reclosable dispensing means in a multiple panel, adhesively joined Wall thereof, said means consisting of a multiple panel seal-flap cut and creased therefrom, each panel of said seal-flap being articulated at its innermost end to the corresponding panel of said container wall and cut releasably free on the side edges therefrom, one panel of said container wall having a VanBuren Ear articulated thereto, and adhesively joined to the outside surface of the adjacent side wall of said container, said VanBuren Ear being cut and creased to form a releasable and reclosable lock-tab, said lock-tab then being articulated to the adjacent end of r one panel of said seal-flap, said lock-tab in one position relcasably secured to said VanBuren Ear when said sealflap is in its closed position, said lock-tab in another position torn free therefrom when said seal-flap is swung about on its hinged articulation opening a dispensing aperture in said multiple-panel wall, said container having the outer panel of said seal-flap cut and creased to form lateral friction-tabs, said tabs being cut and adhesion free from said seal-flap and hingedly joined to the outer panel of said container wall adjacent to the lateral edges of said seal-flap, said friction-tabs in one position to lie flatly against said seal-flap in the plane of said outer panel of said container wall and in another position to be extended outwardly about their hinged connection frictionally engaging the lateral edges of said seal-flap, when said seal-flap is in an open position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,842,237 Becker Ian. 19, 1932 1,973,960 McLaughlin Sept. 18, 1934 2,010,972 Weiss Aug. 13, 1935 2,272,203 Hothersall Feb. 10, 1942 2,470,388 Ball May 17, 1949 2,565,182 Maxon Aug. 21, 1951 2,701,678 Read Feb. 8, 1955 2,701,679 Goldstein Feb. 8, 1955 

